Device for moistening envelopes



(No Model.)

0. H. BURTON. DBVIGE FOR MOISTENING ENVELOPES.

Patented Mar. 4

Z M Z 0 m 5 n Jww m mm m u qwvwwooao n. PETERS, MmLflMfifiphlr. Washington. In:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLINTON H. BURTON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

DEVICE'FOR MOISTENING ENVELOPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 422,714, dated March 4, 1890.

Application filed October 12, 1889- Serial No. 326,765- (No model.)

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLINTON I-I. BURTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Moistening Envelopes; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of this invention and is a vertical section. Fig.2 is a cross-section taken where the broken line 90 a3 is marked on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side View of one portion of the de vice, and Fig. at is a side view of the other portion.

This invention relates to dampeners for the gummed edges of envelopes,'for attaching postagestamps, and other like purposes; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates a hollow handle or reservoir for holding water and having telescopedtherewith at one end, a shorter tube or cap I5, closed at its outer end and open at the opposite end, which enters the tube A, the latter being sometimes provided at its opposite end with a removable small cap 0.

The cap 13 is provided longitudinally with a rectangular well E, which enters it through a correspondingly-shaped slot, in which it is seated. This well rests upon the inner wall of the cap B and is laterally cut away 011 its lower edges at d for the admission of water to saturate the brush D, composed of felt or other absorbent material contained therein. The outer end g of the well projects vertically from the cap B and has its orifice oblique or inclined forward, and the projecting edges of the felt or absorbent contained therein are trimmed to a corresponding angle. The obj eat of this angular construction is to give an upward pitch to the hollow handle A and afford ample space for the fingers to grasp the same without coming in contact with the article beneath.

The absorbent which I usually prefer to use is of felt, which is folded in V shape and trimmed to the proper size to admit it to the well, the free ends 1' r projecting outside to form the brush portion. Between the folds of the felt brush is inclosed a thin plate of metal H, corresponding with the angular shape of the well and brush. The object of this plate H is to facilitate the introduction of the folded felt to the well and at the same time provide a lateral bearing for the ends r z of the felt as they are brushed across the surface of the paper, thus having a tendency to brace the brush and render the same more compact. On the side of the cap B opposite the brush a rectangular bracket or rest L is provided, having a plane bearing surface to preserve the equilibrium of the device when laid away, thus preventing the weight of the brush from causing it to roll and thereby injure any article on the desk or table by the moisture.

, I may sometimes construct my dampener of a single tube, dispensing with the cap B and introducing the water from the end closed by the small removable cap 0; but I prefer the construction first described.

What I claim as new is In a reservoir-dampener, the combination, with the removable cap 15 and its obliqueedged well adapted to contain an absorben brush, of the bearingplate in the fold of said brush, the hollow handle or reservoir, and the bracket or rest therefor, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLINTON H. BURTON. Witnesses:

E. G. WILsoN, J. S. AILwoErH. 

